This recipe came from our friend Stan Kutz. It is a family favorite. Stan said that it freezes well. We wish we had listen to Stan The first time we made a 1/2 batch and wished there were left overs to freeze!
Borscht (dubbed “Rich Man’s Borscht” by my Aunt Helen Frey)
10 – regular sized cans of beets (cut are easier to deal with than sliced)
2 – whole white onions
3 tablespoons light olive oil
¾ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
¼ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon Celery Salt
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt
32 oz Sour Cream
¾ lb deli Roast Beef, shredded (they may not like you at the deli counter, but it’s much easier this way)
Optional: ½ pound of carrots, shredded
Shred the beets, but save the juice for the liquid in the soup – I do it by hand most of the time, but you can use a “Salad Shooter” with a course blade, too. Set aside.
Chop the onions, put the olive oil in a deep pot and fry the chopped onions until clear and starting to brown. Then add the chopped beets and liquid from the cans, carrots if you like, shredded roast beef, and heat until boiling. Add the Celery and Garlic Salt, vinegar and sugar. Simmer for about an hour (longer is ok) on low heat.
Serve in a bowl with a good dollap of Sour Cream.
Great cold weather dish…some say it is a tonic (root crops).
Stan Kutz